STAFFORD Rangers turned the tables on Lancaster City today, taking their turn to grab a last-minute equaliser as they extended their unbeaten run to six games with Robbie Thompson-Brown's 90th-minute penalty.

Two weeks ago, Boro let a 2-0 lead slip against the same opposition, but this time they took a share of the spoils after earning their reward for staying in the game to the end.

A late arrival at the Giant Axe was perhaps the cause of a dull, attritional first half produced few chances, and Rangers had the majority of them despite not dominating.

But the hosts came flying out of the blocks in the second period, deservedly taking the lead when Craig Carney fired home seven minutes in.

Boro rarely looked like threatening an equaliser after that, but as long as there was only goal in the game, they had a chance, and in the final minute, substitute Osebi Abadaki was brought down and Thompson-Brown made no mistake.

Manager Neil Kitching named the same team as won 40 against Kidsgrove Athletic in the Staffordshire Senior Cup quarter-final on Tuesday.

That line-up included Levi Reid, making his 300th appearance for the club.

There were two changes on the bench, as youngsters Lucas Burnett and Riley Stephenson dropped out for defenders Dan Vann and new signing Ben Chilcott, a Stafford lad who has joined from Oxford United.

Aside from a couple of Adam Whitehouse miss-kicks and a shot from Robbie Thompson-Brown that was blazed over, there was little action of note in the opening exchanges.

Lancaster thought the were in on goal 15 minutes in, but Connor Simpson was incorrectly flagged offside after receiving the ball direct from a throw-in.

A good run from Thompson-Brown, turning his marker then dribbling from his own half into the area was halted at the last.

Just after the half-hour mark, Lancaster fashioned their best chances, with two dangerous crosses having to be headed away by first Jordaan Brown and then Kieran Morris.

The hosts still failed to register a single shot in the first 45, and although Boro did little better themselves, they did have a flurry of chances just before the half-time whistle.

First Levi Reid's half-hearted shot was blocked, before one McDonald effort appeared to hit a hand - though nothing was given - another rebounded off the post and Kieren Westwood fired the rebound wide.

Three minutes into the second half, Lancaster had the best chance so far, with a thunderous shot out of keeping with the ponderous nature of the game, Blues skipper Craig Carney forcing a fine save from Adam Whitehouse after Brown's poor clearance.

From the resultant corner, the hosts came even closer, Sam Bailey sent a cross in that Glenn Steel headed on, and when Boro's clearance fell to Ricky Mercer, his low shot was somehow kept out by a quick-thinking save from WHitehouse.

But he could do nothing to keep out Carney in the 52nd minute as Lancaster fashioned their third chance in four minutes - three more than they had managed in the first 47. With Westwood off the pitch receiving treatment following a foul, Lancaster broke through Sam Bailey, operating on the right wing that Westwood would ususally have been patrolling. He played in Carney, who shrugged off the attentions of Morris and fired a low shot into the far corner.

The hosts had their dander up and almost doubled the lead when Josh Gregory found space for a shot that he hit wide. A similar fate befell Charlie Bailey before Connor Simpson somehow missed an empty net - though the assistant had raised his flag for offside.

It had been Boro's turn to struggle for chances, but substitute Tyrell Waite put in a great cross from the left that Izak Reid bust a gut to meet, only to volley over the bar.

Five minutes from time, they looked to have spurned their best chance for an equaliser as Josh Craddock met Jack Sherratt's free-kick but headed against the bar.

But there was one last twist in the tale as Abadaki was brought down in the area by Simon Wills, and after a brief discussion between Tyrell Waite and Thompson-Brown, the latter took the spot-kick and sent it beyond Elliot Wynne.